Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 34

Author: Stout, Tom, 1879- ed
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Chicago, American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 1126

USA > Montana > Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II > Part 34

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In other ways Mr. Trower is an aggressive and progressive factor in his locality. He is vice presi- dent of the Sweetgrass County Good Roads Asso- ciation. He owns a modern home at Fourth Avenue, West, and Stock Street. He is independent in politics, a member of the Presbyterian Church, and is affiliated with Big Timber Lodge No. 25, Knights of Pythias.

In January, 1913, at Spokane, Washington, he married Miss Ruby Rickel, a daughter of W. H. and Rose (Roberts) Rickel, who now reside at Big Timber. Mr. Rickel is employed in the Big Tim- ber Creamery. Mrs. Trower is a graduate of the Blair Business College of Spokane. To their mar- riage were born two daughters, Elizabeth Rose, born December 17, 1915, and Yevonne Elaine, born December 17, 1918.

JAMES A. WEAVER, deputy game warden at Lewis- town, is a citizen who has played in his time many parts-farmer, cowboy, range rider, deputy sheriff, merchant, and the scope of his experiences in Mon- tana covers a period of thirty years or more.

He was born in Douglas County, Oregon, Feb- ruary 24, 1868, a son of James B. and Sarah Ann (Wright) Weaver. His father, a native of Ten- nessee, was reared and educated in that state and when a young man moved into Missouri. He was one of the early Californians, making the trip overland by ox team in 1850. After some expe- rience in the gold diggings he went north to Ore- gon, locating in Douglas County. He was a pioneer hotel man and merchant in that locality, later be- came a farmer, and finally retired from active busi- ness and spent eight or nine years in Montana with his children. He was a democrat and an Odd Fel- low. He died in 1906, at the age of seventy-two. His wife was born in Missouri and died in 1882. They were married in Oregon and had eight chil- dren, four of whom are still living, James A. being the fourth in age.

The latter was reared in Douglas County, Ore- gon, attending the public schools there and spent much of his early life with his uncle, John W. Weaver. When only eight years old he rode one horse and led the other, dragging a harrow over the plowed fields. This farm experience contin- ued for about six years. He then went to Eastern Oregon, became a cowboy in 1887, and rode the range in Wyoming, and in July, 1888, arrived in Fergus County, Montana. He was employed in breaking horses and punching cows and in 1891 received his first initiation into public service when appointed deputy sheriff of Fergus County. Later he was in the saloon and livery business, and was the first city marshal of Lewistown under Mayor J. P. Barnes. For a number of years Mr. Weaver has had ranch interests in the Stanford and Den- ton country. He was appointed deputy game war- den in 1915.

Mr. Weaver is affiliated with Judith Lodge No. 30, Knights of Pythias, and has been a member of Lewistown Lodge No. 456 of the Elks since its organization. Politically he is identified with the democratic party.

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On February 24, 1902, his birthday, he married Bertha K. Hosch. She was born in Iowa. Two children were born to their marriage: James Philip, who died at the age of five years, and John Hosch.

MARTIN F. HAYES, a resident of Montana since 1901 is former deputy county clerk and recorder of Powell County, and now has charge of the books of the firm Branscombe & O'Neill at Deer Lodge.

He was born at Waterville, Minnesota, Septem- ber 26, 1886, of Irish ancestry. The Hayes family came to New York State early in the last century. His father Dennis P. Hayes was born at Troy, New York, in October, 1848, was reared there, and spent many years as a railroad man. He was in the em- ploy of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha as road foreman at Le Sener, Minnesota, where he married and lived until 1889 when he located at Mankato and was in the stone quarry business under the partnership Jordan & Hayes until 1898. He then sold his interests in Minnesota and moved to Great Falls, Montana, where he was road foreman for the Great Northern Railway, and from 1902 to 1905 filled a similar position at Winston and since 1905 has been road foreman at Silver Bow for the Butte, Anaconda & Pacific Railway. While he lived at Mankato, Minnesota, he served as city recorder. He is a democrat, a Catholic, a fourth degree Knight of Columbus, being affiliated with Anaconda Council No. 882, a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and Mankato Camp Modern Woodmen of America and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He married Ellen Gorman, who was born at LeSener, Minnesota, in 1852, member of one of the early territorial families of Minne- sota. She died at Mankato in 1888. Her children were: William T., a railway conductor for the Northwestern railway, living in Worthington, Min- nesota; James P. in the livery business at Mankato; Philip E., chef at the St. Regis Hotel, Spokane, Washington; and Martin F. and John H., twins, the latter a roadmaster for the Northern Pacific Railway at Moscow, Idaho; Charles E., powder mixer for the Dupont Powder Company at Ramsey, Montana.

Martin F. Hayes was educated in the public schools of Mankato, graduating from high school in 1898. The next two years he was assistant book- keeper for the Hubbard Milling Company. In 1901 on coming to Montana he became foreman in the freight department of the Northern Pacific Railway at Helena, was promoted to car distributor and in 1902 sent to Garrison, Montana. In 1907 he was made cashier, and in 1912 came to Deer Lodge as station agent holding that office until September, 1915, when he had rounded ont nearly fifteen years in the service of railway corporation. He then took up his duties as deputy county clerk and recorder but in February, 1918, resigned and took charge of the books of the well known Deer Lodge automobile concern of Branscombe & O'Neill at 306 Main Street.

Mr. Hayes takes an active part in local politics, being secretary of the County Central Committee, an office he has held for the past three years. He is a Catholic, is grand knight of Deer Lodge Coun- cil No. 1810 Knights of Columbus. Mr. Hayes and family live in a modern home at 907 Fourth Street. He married at Deer Lodge in 1907 Miss Clara M. Smith, daughter of Joseph and Mary Ann (Booth) Smith, residents of Garrison, Montana. Her father is roundhouse foreman for the Northern Pacific Railway Company. Mrs. Hayes is a graduate of the Powell County High School at Deer Lodge. They

have two children: Francis, born January 2, 1908, and Dorothy, born March 16, 1913.

THEODORE HARDING THOMAS has a veteran's ex- perience and record as a miner in the western sec- tion of the state. He has been mining in what is now Mineral County for thirty years or more, and while he has met vicissitudes and has had the usual ups and downs of the mining game, his work and profits on the whole have been more than moder- ately successful.

Mr. Thomas, who enjoys a high place of esteem in Mineral County and is the present county asses- sor, was born at Canning, in Nova Scotia, Canada, December 6, 1852. His grandfather, Henry Thomas, was born in Wales, in 1779, and in 1829 crossed the ocean and settled at New Canaan, Nova Scotia, where he spent the rest of his life as a practical farmer. He died in 1866. His son, David R. Thomas, was born in Wales in 1826, and was three years of age when the family came to this country. He became a farmer at Canning and in 1861 moved to Wolfville, Nova Scotia, and from there in 1890, having retired, moved to Fitchburg, Massachusetts, where he died in 1910. He was a conservative in Canadian politics and a member of the Baptist Church. His wife was Mary Isabelle Fitch, who was born at New Canaan, Nova Scotia, in 1827 and died at Wolfville in 1869. Jessie, the oldest of their children, died at Fitchburg, Massachusetts, in 1919, being then the widow of Isaac Murray, a merchant in Nova Scotia. Maggie, who died in New York City in 1912, was the wife of Arthur Cunningham, who spent all his active career as a clerk in the postoffice department at Halifax, Nova Scotia, being finally pensioned for several years before his death.

Theodore Harding Thomas, now the only one of the children living, was educated in the public schools of Wolfville, including the high school, and in 1873 received his A. B. degree from Acadia Col- lege at Wolfville. At that time his ambition was to become a physician, and he studied medicine at Wolfville and at Port Hawkesbury, Cape Breton. While reading medicine he taught school. Even- tually he abandoned his ideas as to a medical career, but continued teaching in Nova Scotia until the spring of 1880.

He was first attracted to the mining district of the West during the Leadville stampede in Colo- rado. He also spent a time in Denver and at Colo- rado Springs for two years was a bookkeeper and a log scaler for the Colorado Pinery Trust Com- pany. In 1883 he went to southwestern Colorado in the San Juan district, where he prospected in mines for two years.

Mr. Thomas came to Superior, Montana, in 1885, and his experience covers most of the history of that noted mining section. He was a prospector and placer miner and also did quartz mining for gold, silver and lead. He now owns stock in sev- eral successful mines. He is secretary and treas- urer of the Golden Sunset Mining Company, the officers of which corporation are in Iron Mountain opposite the Northern Pacific depot. The company operates gold and silver mines on Cedar Creek.

Mr. Thomas was honored by his fellow citizens with the office of county assessor in November, 1918, and began his official term of two years in the following January. He is a democrat in poli- tics and is a former member of the Improved Order of Red Men. In 1892, at Missoula, he married Miss Maggie Briggs, a native of New York state.

HERMAN OTTEN. Holding distinction as one of the earliest cattle men of Montana and as one of

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the first wheat-growers of Fergus County, Herman Otten, a retired citizen of Lewistown, has led a career that has included experience of an interesting character, and in his business activities has invaded a number of fields of endeavor, in all of which he has been successful.

Mr. Otten was born at Radereisted Amt der Sted, Germany, February 22, 1838, and received his edu- cation in the public schools of his native place. Feeling that the United States offered better oppor- tunities for the gaining of success, at the age of eighteen years he left home and journeyed to New York on a sailing vessel. In New York City he was variously employed for three years, after which, in 1859, he traveled to San Francisco by steamer, around Cape Horn, and for three years was employed on a farm near that city. Later he embarked in the saloon business at San Francisco, but disposed of his interests therein to go to Virginia, Nevada, where he worked for a time in the silver mines. Subsequently, in search of more remunerative em- ployment, he came overland to German Gulch, Mon- tana, by ox-team, but after a short stay joined George Fitchin and John Saylor in a trip to Texas, where the trio bought 300 head of cattle and drove them overland to Big Hole, Montana. . Mr. Otten applied himself uninterruptedly to the cattle business until 1876, when he made a trip to the old country to visit his parents, but in 1877 returned to the United States, and June 17 of that year, at New York City, was united in marriage with Elise Ranges, who had been born in Brenkum, Germany, June 3, 1854, and had recently come to the United States. Shortly following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Otten came to Big Hole, Montana, where for some years they resided on the range, but later went to Silver Bow. In 1887 Mr. Otten purchased a ranch at Cottonwood Creek, and in that year first came to Lewistown. Two years later he sold his cattle and became one of the organizers of the Judith Basin Bank at Lewistown, of which he be- came president. He continued to hold that position when the reorganization was effected that changed this institution to the First National Bank of Lewis- town, and he remained in the chief executive ca- pacity until his resignation, when he was succeeded by David Hilger, although he still retains a large share of stock in the institution. Mr. Otten has been practically retired from business affairs since 1909, although he has large holdings and important interests. While at Cottonwood he was the pro- prietor of a successful general store, and in what- ever community he has resided he has had several irons in the fire in order to engage his energies and abilities to the utmost. That his foresight is great is noted in the fact that he was one of the first to realize the suitability of Montana as a cattle country and that he also was one of the first to recognize the possibilities in wheat-growing in Fergus County. His business reputation is of the highest, and in civic and social circles he has a number of important connections.

Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Otten. namely: Anna O., the wife of W. M. Blackford, a prominent attorney of Lewistown, with five children; Herman C., of Glengarry, Montana, who married Florence McMillen, and has two sons; Elise, who died December 9, 1918, as the wife of George W. Tubb, leaving three children; Henry J., who mar- ried Jennie Anderson ; and Ella M., who resides with her parents.

CHARLES HALTER, present superintendent of the county farm of Carbon County, was the pioneer restaurant man of Red Lodge, and became widely

known through his connection with that business.

He was born at Manistee, Michigan, January 14, 1870. His father, Anthony Halter, was born in Germany in 1834 and when a small boy his parents came to the United States and settled in Wisconsin, where the grandfather died. The home in which he was reared was six miles from Milwaukee. After his marriage he moved to Manistee, Michi- gan, when that was a lumber camp in the midst of the primeval woods. He followed his trade as a millwright for many years and died at Manistee in 1899. He was a democrat and a Catholic. Anthony Halter married Mary Stemper, who was born in Wisconsin in 1839 and died at Manistee in 1876. Their children were: Christine, wife of Alex- ander Smith, a marine engineer on the Great Lakes living at Manistee; John who was an engineer with the Manistee and Northeastern Railroad and died at Manistee in 1915; Annie, living in Manis- tee, widow of William Douglas, who owns half of the Manistee & Northeastern Railroad; George, a retired engineer of the Manistee & Northeastern, living at Manistee; Louis who is a messenger for the United States Express Company and lives in Texas; Charles; Michael, who was a blacksmith and died at Manistee at the age of twenty-seven; and Frank, who is a farmer in Idaho.

Charles Halter left school work at Manistee at the age of fifteen and from that time forward has made his own way in the world. He came to Mon- tana in 1897, and soon afterward engaged in the restaurant business at Red Lodge. He was about the first to furnish that service to the community and continued active therein until 1915, when he sold out. The next two years he managed a pool hall in the Pollard Hotel at Red Lodge, and in 1917 was appointed to his present responsibilities as superintendent of the county farm. The county farm is located a mile south of Red Lodge and is a well equipped place, including a fine brick house for the inmates, barns and other outbuildings. There are twenty-one acres of land. Carbon County has only a limited need for this institution, since there are few who have to avail themselves of its facilities. About the highest number who have been inmates of the home is ten, and at the present writing there are only seven.

Mr. Halter is independent in politics, is a Catholic and is a third degree knight of Manistee Council of Knights of Columbus. He owns a dwelling on North Platte Avenue.

He married at Sheridan, Wyoming, in 1905, Miss Mary Johnson, a daughter of Peter and Mary John- son, both now deceased. Her father was a moulder by trade and worked at Manistee, Michigan, for thirty-five years.

GEORGE ROBERT LYONS. The old New England State of Massachusetts has contributed its share of families which have left their comfortable homes in the East to assist in the civilization and settlement of the newer West, and among those now living in Montana who claim the Bay State as the place of their birth is George Robert Lyons, an extensive sheep ranchman of the Twodot community in Meagher County. However, although an easterner by birth, Mr. Lyons is essentially and distinctively a man of the West, for his education and training have been secured in Montana, and here he has spent his career and won his success.

Mr. Lyons was born at South Lee, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, June 12, 1885, a son of George and Mary (Orr) Lyons. His father, a native of Ireland, came to the United States as a young man, and subsequently made his way over-

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land across the prairies to Montana, where he sought his fortune in the mines at Diamond City. Later he was one of the pioneers of the freighting industry from Salt Lake City to Helena, and then located in the Musselshell Valley, where he was an early and prominent cattle man. His closing days were passed on his ranch in that locality, and there his death occurred in 1912, when he was seventy-two years of age. He was a republican in his political views, but never cared for nor sought public office. Mrs. Lyons, who was born at South Lee, Massa- chusetts, survives her husband and resides at Two- dot. They were the parents of two children: George Robert; and Helen May, the widow of Edward Reaussen, who died in December, 1917, leaving a son, Edward. Mrs. Reaussen resides at Twodot with her mother.

George Robert Lyons was educated in the public schools of Montana, and for additional training was sent to the military academy at Faribault, Minnesota, known as the Chaddock Military Academy. His boy- hood days were passed amid the surroundings of the ranch, and he came to immediately know and appre- ciate horses and cattle, so that it was not surprising that he adopted ranching for his choice of vocations when called upon to determine his career. When he took over the business he conducted it along the same progressive lines as had his father, and subse- quently added a band of sheep to the stock on the place. He gradually built up the business to its present proportions through good management and a knowledge of the needs of such an enterprise, and at times has had as many as from 600 to 1,500 head of cattle and from 5,000 to 6,000 head of sheep. This property, the C. L. Ranch, is widely known, as is its proprietor, who bears an excellent reputation as cattleman, rancher and substantial business man of integrity. Mr. Lyons is a member of Castle Lodge, Knights of Pythias, at Twodot, and is popular with its members. He is a republican in his political affiliation, and while he has not sought the honors of public life has been prominent in seeking to support the movements which have promised the progress and advancement of the community in which he has made his home for so many years.

Mr. Lyons was married October 16, 1912, to Miss Minnie May Fresser, who was born at Helena, Montana, daughter of John H. Freeser, one of the pioneer miners and stockmen of Montana, now mak- ing his home at Twodot. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Lyons, of whom four are living : George Robert, Jr., Nancy Louise, Doris Marie and John Henry.

JOHN C. DOCTER, M. D. It is scarcely possible, in these modern days, for a man to be a successful physician without also being a man of learning and of solid, scientific acquirements. Often the youth who feels the inspiration that ultimately leads him into the medical profession, finds his progress one ' of difficulty from lack of encouragement, opportun- ity or capital, and when all these drawbacks are overcome, through personal effort, battles have been won that make firm the foundations of character. It is therefore easy to comprehend why the physician is usually a dominating figure in his community. Having conquered so many obstacles in his own career, he is able to overcome those which come up in civic affairs, and his fellow citizens naturally turn to him for advice and support aside from their need of his skill as a professional man. One of these forces for civic betterment and increased healthful conditions at Philipsburg is Dr. John C. Docter, who has but recently returned from his military service during the great war.

John C. Docter was born at Mayville, Wisconsin, April 6, 1891, a son of C. W. Docter, and grandson of John Christian Docter. The great-grandfather of Dr. John C. Docter, a native of Germany, founded the Docter family in the United States. John Christian Docter was born in 1830, and died at Kenosha, Wisconsin, in 1878. After serving in the Union army during the war between the North and South, he located at Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he worked at his trade of a carpenter and served on the city police force. His wife bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Stantz, and she survives him and lives at Kenosha.

C. W. Docter was born at Kenosha, Wisconsin, in 1869, where he lived until after his marriage, when he located at Mayville that state. Early in life he was a photographer, but later went into the mercantile field, and is now one of the leading mer- chants and publishers of Mayville, owning a large novelty store and serving as president of the May- ville News Company. He also owns one of the popular moving picture theaters of the place and is interested in other business enterprises. Mr. Docter is an independent democrat, and has served as treasurer of Mayville and is now a director of its school board. He married Miss Anna Moeller, born at Kenosha, Wisconsin, in 1871, and their chil- dren are as follows: John C., whose name heads this review; Addie, who is unmarried, resides with her parents; Rudolph, who is a practicing dental surgeon of Mayville, was graduated from the Mar- quette University at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery; Helen, who is a graduate of the Mayville High School, is living at home and Viola, who is also a graduate of the Mayville High School, is at home.

John C. Docter attended the public schools of Mayville, and was graduated from its high school in 1909, following which for a year he was in his father's store. He then entered the Marquette Uni- versity at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from which he was graduated in 1914 with the degree of Doctor of Med- icine. At the same time he took a course in a night school and secured the degree of Bachelor of Science. He is a member of the Greek Letter fra- ternity Phi Beta Pi.

In 1914 he became intern at the Northern Pacific Hospital, at Missonla, Montana, where he remained until the close of 1915, and then went to Drum- mond, Montana, and was engaged there in an active practice until January, 1918, when he came to Philipsburg. During 1917 he took a special course in surgery at the Northern Pacific Hospital. On October 19, 1918, he received a commission of first lieutenant in the Medical Corps, and was sent to Fort Riley, Kansas, and had not the signing of the Armistice occurred when it did, he would without doubt have been sent overseas. He was mustered out of the service at Fort Riley, in December, 1918. Returning to Philipsburg, he resumed his general medical and surgical practice which his military service had interrupted, and maintains offices in the Courtney Block. He is now health officer of Granite County, and one of the most progressive young men in his profession in this section. Independent in politics he gives his support to those measures he deems best for the people, irrespective of party lines. He is a member of Ruby Lodge No. 36, An- cient Free and Accepted Masons of Drummond, Montana ; Hope Chapter No. 10, Royal Arch Masons of Philipsburg; Missoula Lodge, Benevolent Protec- tive Order of Elks; and to the Philipsburg Chamber of Commerce.

On March 17, 1916, John C. Docter was married to Miss Evaro Avery, at Missoula, Montana. She

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is a daughter of Amos and Caroline (Brunnell) Avery, the former of whom is deceased, but during life was the pioneer telegrapher of Missoula, and his widow, who survives him, is acting as chief telegrapher at Missoula and is the oldest in point of service in the employ of the Northern Pacific Rail- road. Mrs. Docter attended the Montana University at Missoula and Bruno Hall at Spokane, Washing- ton. Doctor and Mrs. Docter have two sons, John Christian, who was born March 13, 1917, and Charles William, born January 16, 1920.

P. H. MCCARTHY, M. D. The affection in which the physician is held by those to whom he has ministered is of a character that excites admira- tion and inspires respect. The medical man occu- pies a position that is unique for in his hands lie the lives of those entrusted to his care and upon his knowledge, skill and poise in times of danger depends the future of the community. To the credit of the profession be it said that very few of the men who devote their lives to the healing art fail to live up to the highest standards of fine manhood and citizenship. They put self second, and give lavishly of their time and professional serv- ices often without thought as to recompense. They not only care for the ailing, but through their fore- sight and ability to provide for contingencies, pre- serve the public health and enforce sanitary regula- tions which oftentimes revolutionize the general soundness of the people, and establish a salubrity in their communities not dreamed of until they came into the locality with their scientific knowl- edge. One of the men who belongs to this dis- tinguished class is Dr. P. H. McCarthy, physician and surgeon of Butte.

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 34

Author: Stout, Tom, 1879- ed Publication date: 1921 Publisher: Chicago, American Historical Society Number of Pages: 1126

Author: Stout, Tom, 1879- ed
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Chicago, American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 1126